1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting structure in which structural elements such as segments are connected together, a plurality of these structural elements being connected together to form a cylindrical tunnel wall member, for example.
2. Technical Field of the Invention
When forming tunnel wall members, a typical structure employed for the segment connecting structure is one in which a joint plate having a hole is recessed in the vicinity of the segment's connecting surface. The connecting surfaces of the segments are brought into contact with one another, with the joint plate holes aligned so as to communicate. A bolt is then passed through the communicating holes in this state, and a nut is fastened on to the bolt to affect the connection.
However, the above structure requires that the extremely troublesome operation of passing the bolt through the holes formed in the connecting surfaces of the joint plates, and then fastening a nut over the bolt, be performed at the construction site.
Moreover, in the above-described structure, fastening of the nut onto the bolt becomes difficult if there is even a slight positional deviation between the segments. As a result, work may be delayed.